How to Grow and Care for Lobelia

Beautiful 2-lipped tubular flowers with intense color, each with 5 lobes – that’s what makes lobelias one of the most popular and most beautiful garden plants.

Lobelia is a genus of flowering plants comprising 415 species primarily found in tropical to warm temperate regions of the world, but in cooler climates as well. We know lobelia as an attractive annual herb with many varieties, all coming in different attractive colors. It is a beautiful addition to any garden. The best part about lobelias is that they are so easy to grow and care for! If you are mesmerized by their beauty and want to have them in your garden then you are at the right place as we are going to share everything you need to know on how to grow and care for lobelia.

Lobelia is an easy growing, versatile herb you can plant freely in your garden, use as a border, in hanging baskets, containers. ground covers etc. The one thing you should have in mind before choosing your lobelia variety is it’s mature height which is important for choosing the perfect planting location. L. inflata(Indian tobacco), L. cardinalis (Cardinal flower), and L. siphilitica are the most common varieties for home gardening.

One of the most popular varieties of lobelia is called Indian tobacco and this is because Native Americans once smoked lobelia plant to treat asthma. Another name for lobelia is pukeweed because it was once prescribed the plant to induce vomiting. We have to warn you though that the plant is poisonous so don’t try this at home.

Planting & Fertilizing

When choosing the perfect planting location for your lobelia, have in mind that almost every variety prefers partial shade, although they can grow quite nicely in full sun as well. As for the soil, make sure it is nutrient rich and well hydrated. Offer a water soluble fertilizer each month for best results.

Watering

Watering is important for lobelia’s blooming. Soil should be kept moist constantly. Water annuals with 1 1/2 inches of water per week while perennials less frequently but deeply. However, you should allow the top soil to dry between waterings.

Pruning

Another great thing about lobelias is that they are self-cleaning plants that don’t require removing of faded flowers like many other annuals. But when the first blooming season is over it is best to prune the stems which will encourage the production of new blooms.

Annual Lobelia

If you want to grow annual lobelia out of seeds then all you need to do is spread the seeds on top of the soil and water thoroughly then place them in a warm, light place. In a week or two, when the seeds start popping out, you can start thinning them out. When there is no fear of frost anymore and your plants are around 2-3 inches tall it is time to transplant them in the garden, ideally 4-6 inches apart.

Perenial Lobelia

During winter you should provide pine needles mulch to protect the root system. This is for perennial varieties of course. You can also cut back perennial lobelias to just above ground level after blooming has ceased. As for the annual varieties, pull them out and discard them once heavy frost kills them in autumn.

 

How to Grow and Care for Lobelia

Tips For Growing Rosemary Herb Plants

Rosemary is a fragrant evergreen herb native to the Mediterranean, with a wonderful smell that is often associated with good food and great time. It is also good for your health; it contains substances that are useful for stimulating the immune system, increasing circulation, and improving digestion.

Rosemary also contains anti-inflammatory compounds that may make it useful for reducing the severity of asthma attacks. The name rosemary derives from the Latin ros meaning “dew” and marinus meaning “sea” – “sea dew.” Rosemary’s leaves look like flat pine-tree needles, deep green in color on top while silver-white on their underside. There are many varieties of rosemary, each with slightly different properties. Some grow very bushy and tall, while others tend to trail; some have purple or blue flowers, some white. Grown from either plants or seeds, rosemary is an outstanding perennial performer in any herb garden. Plants can be brought indoors to overwinter in colder zones. Rosemary is also ideal for a rock garden or the top of a dry wall. You can even train rosemary into topiary shapes and the plants are tolerant of salt spray, making them a good choice for pots on the beach.

Propagation

Rosemary is easiest to grow from a cutting, rather than planting seeds. You can get cuttings preferably in late spring, from your local nursery, or even better find a rosemary plant you admire and clip off a few 4 inch pieces to propagate. You have to place each cutting into a small pot of soil filled with two-thirds coarse sand and one-third peat moss. Set the pot in a sunny place, but not in direct sunlight. Water the cuttings regularly and keep in a warm spot until the roots form, which should take about three weeks.

Planting

You can plant the rosemary either in pots or outdoors in your garden, as Rosemary will adapt to most growing conditions and is quite hardy. It will grow its best, in a warm to hot, fairly dry climate. If planting in the garden, choose soil that drains well. Rosemary can suffer from root rot in waterlogged soil.

Care

Rosemary prefers a drier soil, so don’t overdo the watering. It will be happy with the average garden watering. This is not a herb that needs fertilizer. However, make sure that there is some lime in the soil.

Rosemary prefers a drier soil, so don’t overdo the watering. It will be happy with the average garden watering. This is not a herb that needs fertilizer. However, make sure that there is some lime in the soil.

Since rosemary is evergreen, you can harvest it all year round, by picking rosemary leaves as needed. You can also freeze rosemary by placing it in food storage bags and storing in the freezer. Otherwise, strip the leaves from the stems and store in airtight jars. Stored this way, rosemary will slowly dry and will keep for several months.

How to use Rosemary

You can put Rosemary to both sweet and savory dishes. Use it to add depth to meat and chicken, bread or butter. Rosemary can be dried and made into scented drawer sachets, used as in ingredient in homemade soap or turned into fragranced water that makes your hair shiny and soft.

Tips For Growing Rosemary Herb Plants

Hidcote Manor: Experience One of England"s Great Gardens

One of England’s greatest Arts and Crafts gardens, Hidcote Manor is famous for its rare trees and shrubs, outstanding herbaceous borders and unusual plants from all over the world. Hidcote Manor is a delightful surprise, hidden down a series of twisting country lanes in the Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire.

It was designed and developed by he talented American horticulturist Maj. Lawrence Johnston who was an avid plant collector and who sponsored and participated in plant hunting expeditions to secure rare and exotic species for this extremely pretty garden. Johnston traveled the world in his search for unusual plants, participating in plant collecting expeditions to the Swiss Alps, the Andes, South Africa, Kenya, Burma, Yunnan, the South of France, Formosa, the Maritime Alps and the Atlas Mountains. The gardens at Hidcote are divided by tall hedges and walls to create a series of outdoor rooms, each with its own special and unique character. A profusion of color contrasts with impeccably manicured lawns, the garden continues to influence garden design today. From the formal splendor of the White Garden and Bathing Pool to the informality and beauty of the Old Garden, visitors are assured of a surprise around every corner. Whatever the season, there’s something to delight and inspire. Feast your eyes browsing true these beautiful images from this stunning garden and make a plan to visit, it is well worth it. For more info on this mesmerizing garden as well as a virtual tour visit nationaltrust.org.uk. And now take a few moments to browse through the gallery and enjoy the beauty of Hidcote Manor…

 

photo credit to wikipedia 

photo credit to wikipedia 

photo credit to wikipedia 

photo credit to wikipedia 

photo by Liz Jones via flickr

photo by Dave Catchpole via flickr

photo by Walwyn (cc) via flickr

photo by Steve Silverman (cc) via flickr

photo by Liz Jones via flickr

photo by Liz Jones via flickr

photo by Liz Jones via flickr

photo by Jason Ballard (cc) via flickr

photo by Jason Ballard (cc) via flickr

photo by Liz Jones via flickr

photo by Liz Jones via flickr

photo by Liz Jones via flickr

photo by Liz Jones via flickr

photo by Liz Jones via flickr

photo by Karen Roe (cc) via flickr

photo by Karen Roe (cc) via flickr

 

photo by Karen Roe (cc) via flickr

photo by Karen Roe (cc) via flickr

photo by Karen Roe (cc) via flickr

photo by Karen Roe (cc) via flickr

photo by Karen Roe (cc) via flickr

Hidcote Manor: Experience One of England"s Great Gardens

All You Need To Know About Growing Beautiful Zinnias

Perfect for beginner gardeners, zinnia flowers are a colorful and long lasting addition to your flower garden. When you learn how easy it is to grow these plants, you’ll instantly want to add this popular annual to sunny areas that benefit from their perky blooms.

They simply need full sun, warmth, and well-drained soil rich in organic matter. Zinnias have bright, solitary, daisy-like flower heads on a single, erect stem. The most common zinnia is “dahlia-flowered” and grows up to three feet. Other types are “cactus-flowered.” Use zinnias in an annual or mixed border. Smaller zinnias are also suitable for edging, window boxes or other containers. The narrow-leaf zinnia also works well in hanging baskets. Here is all you need to know about growing beautiful zinnias in your garden!

Planting

Zinnia flowers are planted from seeds. Seeds of zinnia flowers should be sown directly into the sunny flower bed, as developing roots do not like to be disturbed. In warmer areas with long growing seasons, sow zinnia seeds directly into the garden after all danger of frost has passed. In colder regions with shorter growing seasons, sow seeds indoors about 4 to 5 weeks before the last average frost.

Location

Full sun is essential with a minimum daylight temperature of 60 degrees F when planting zinnia flowers. Just cover zinnia seeds, and aim for a final spacing of 25-30 cm (10-12 inches) between plants.

Soil

Zinnias are adaptable but prefer fertile, humus-rich, well-drained soil. Keep the soil moist, but not soggy, for young plants. If soil is amended with compost, the flowers will grow more quickly.

Watering

You should water zinnias at the base of the plant. A soaker hose is ideal for keeping foliage and petals dry while providing much needed irrigation. The best is to water in the early morning, allowing the foliage and flowers ample time to dry off before nightfall.

Deadheading

Regularly deadhead or remove old flowers to keep plants attractive and encourage more blooms. Clipping the plant back often results in more abundant blooms. In addition, when learning how to grow zinnia, remember that pinching back results in a bushier and more attractive plant.

Pests

Zinnias can get bacterial and fungal spots, powdery mildew and bacterial wilt. Minimize wetting of foliage to avoid disease. Caterpillars, mealy bugs, and spider mites also cause problems. Avoid spraying and tolerate some leaf damage unless the situation is uncontrolled.

All You Need To Know About Growing Beautiful Zinnias